Marta, Livius et al.: The Late Bronze Age Settlement of Nyíregyháza-Oros „Úr Csere” (Satu Mare, 2010)
V. Ioan Bejinariu: Metal Objects
A fragment of a mould valve originates from complex 120, a pit in which the mould fragment was associated with ceramic material dating to the Late Bronze age, two vessels, deposited, apparently, in whole, being also discovered there. The mould is made of soft, silicified sandstone, and it has traces indicating that it was used. The fragment discovered in the pit has the following sizes: length- 8.9 cm, width - 7.4 cm, thickness - 4.7 cm (PI. 15/1). Although the valve is incomplete, the shape of a fight-axe with disk and thorn (Nackenscheibenaxte) can be observed in the negative. On the frontal side of the valve, the only one integrally preserved, located in the joint area with the valve of the axe disk, a wide incision, on the width of the valve, can be observed. On the short lateral, in the area where it joins with the other valve, a longitudinal bevelling can be observed245. The side that renders the piece negative is deteriorated here and there. We have available several observations that enable us to determine the type of butted axe and even the variant that was cast in the respective mould. The piece rendered in the negative had both the blade and the bar towards the disc of a hexagonal shape, thus, the rims of the axe resulted after casting were well shaped. It can be noticed that the blade is slightly curved, right after the fastening tube and a “step” appears on the tube. The tube for fastening the handle is round and neat. These characteristics make us believe that the respective mould was used for casting B3 type butted axes, probably the Târguşor variant.246 We find, however, the discovery itself to be more important than the mentioning of the exact type and variant of the butted axes that could be casted in the Oros mould. The fight-axe with disk and thorn developed based on the older prototype of the - fight-axe with disk on neck is frequently encountered in the period of Late Bronze Age, especially in the deposits of the Uriu-Ópályi type (especially full pieces, while in the deposits of the Suseni and Uioara type, the butted axes are more rarely encountered, fragmentary pieces being more often discovered)247 and extremely rare in graves and settlement contemporary to the deposits of this type. Presently, the total number of this type of axes discovered in the Carpathian Basin exceeds one thousand of copies248. This 245 The bevelling of the surface of some moulds is encountered on a mould discovered at Cernat, respectively on one originating from „the surrounding areas of Mediaş Town” (both located in Transylvania, RO) - Wanzek 1989, PI. 47/3c, 49/4b. Another piece with bevelling traces was discovered at Pleniţa (Oltenia, RO) /- Boroffka - Ridiche 2005, p. 139, PI. 3/2. In all these moulds, the bevelling occurs only on the wide side of the piece. 246 Vulpe 1970, p. 86-88. 247 Bejinariu 2007, p. 48. 248 Kroeger-Michel 1983, p. 9 - the respective figure was postulated almost three decades ago. 48
